Praise and protest over the nomination filled the air in Washington.
Democrats warned Reagan there would be a fight over the nomination.
The dispute over the nomination is worrying some in the civil rights community.
Thus the fight over judicial nominations is no symbolic battle.
Prominent southern civil rights lawyers were split over the nomination.
Outside the committee room, both sides in the debate over the nomination had already geared up for the next round of the political battle.
Just prior to the hearing, controversy arose over the nomination.
Mr. Lee did not address the battle over his nomination.
Referring to the fierceness of the 107-day fight over his nomination, he added, "We have to put these things behind us and go forward."
This definition stems from the history of the fight over Bork's nomination.